Losing It

I've put on weight. I ignored the early signs; underwear too tight, having to pull up my pants to tuck in my muffin top. I knew I was a little heavier, but I don't own a scale. So imagine my surprise when I recently weighed myself at my brothers house and was a soft 140 lbs. My license still says I'm 120 lbs, and the doctors office says 133, but no, I'm 140 (everyone's different, this is not heavy for some, blah, blah, blah). At 5' 3", 140 puts me at the very tip top for healthy weight. It was time for me to do something about it. My biggest problem is that I eat way too much. It's not bad stuff, whole wheat pasta, lean means, fruits and veg, cheese, it's just a lot of stuff. Portions equal to my husband who is A. A man and B. 50 lbs heavier than me. 

I decided to start Weight Watchers. My parents were very successful a few years back and with the app for iPhone and iPad, I figured it was the best option for me. 

With no low point recipes on my Pinterest page, I had to start from scratch. I perused the Weight Watchers site and came up with these recipes for our first week on Weight Watchers. Charles Barkley convinced Mike that Weight Watchers will help him lose weight too, so we're doing it together. He gets 40 points per day, I get 26. Just another example of how my portion sizes were out of control.

Here is our first week of dinners. I have to say that sticking to the portion sizes has been very hard for me. I could only have 1/2 a piece of chicken for the Thai-Grilled Chicken Sandwich (I ate the rest of the leftover 1 point carrot slaw to help fill me up).

Butternut Squash Risotto

Turkey Meatloaf with Cauliflower Mash

Thai Rice with Pineapple and Shrimp

Thai-Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Bowties with Wild Mushrooms and Spinach

Italian Beef and Lentil Slow-Cooker Stew (this is in the CrockPot right now)

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

After about 4 days on Weight Watchers I've learned that:

3 points go fast (carbs!)

We really need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables (0 Points)

I can still eat some of my favorite meals;

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese, Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup, Chicken Picatta. I just need to adjust some ingredients and of course the portion.

Here are some awesome sites for healthy recipes:

Naturally Ella

Skinny Taste

Eat Yourself Skinny

Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day!  Even though Mike has the day off, I'm spending today tending to patients in the ICU. I'm gonna pack one of these guys in my lunch box to help sweeten the day. Enjoy!

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Cookies via Martha Stewart

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Mix with a whisk until well combined.

In a double boiler, or a bowl over a pot of simmering water, mix chocolate chips, brown sugar and butter. Stir constantly until almost completely melted and combined. Remove from heat and stir in egg. Mix well.

Transfer the chocolate-butter mixture to the bowel of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer and add the flour-cocoa powder mixture in slowly until completely combined. It will form a thick dough.

Place half of dough on parchment paper and place another piece of parchment paper on top, sandwiching the dough between the two pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Repeat with the other half of dough.

After 20 minutes, preheat oven to 350, take out dough and remove top piece of parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter (I used my Grandma's vintage scalloped heart), cut out heart shapes and place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling via Smitten Kitchen

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg white

6 tablespoons room temperature butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Pink food coloring

In a double boiler, or a bowl over a pot of simmering water, mix sugar and egg white stirring constantly until you can't feel the sugar when you rub the mixture between your fingers. 

Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk the mixture until it turns white and doubles in size (about 3-4 minutes). Add vanilla.

With the mixer running, add butter a tablespoon at a time. Mix until combined.

Add about 4 drops pink food coloring and 1 drop of green to tone down the pink. Mix well.

Place mixture in piping bag or ziplock bag with a hole cut off a corner. Pipe onto back side of cookies and sandwich together.

Roasted Kale

I wanted a salty snack the other night, but didn't want anything carby and heavy, so I decided to make these crispy roasted kale chips. Simple to make and full of that salty, vinegary flavor that greens tend to have. 

Preheat oven to 250. Chop kale into chip size pieces. Arrange kale pieces on a sheet tray in a single layer, this is vital if you want all the kale to get crispy. Drizzle olive oil and sea salt atop the kale and roast in the oven for half an hour. Enjoy.

P.S. All types of kale work for this, but I've found lacinato (also known as Tuscan, Black or Dinosaur(?)) kale to have the best texture and flavor

Arugula, Orange and Fennel Salad

I forgot to put up last week's meal plan, so I thought I'd share one of the meals we made. This recipe is from Extra Virgin and I included it below for you.

4 cups arugula

1 fennel bulb (white part only), sliced thin (I used a mandoline)

half a red onion, sliced thin (mandoline again)

3-4 clementines, peeled and quartered

half a can of black olives

juice of 1 lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to taste.

salt and pepper 

a couple chopped fennel fronds.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

P.S. I've also made this with seared salmon on top. Delicious.

Mushroom Risotto with Farro

Over Thanksgiving weekend, while in Michigan with family, I dropped by one of my favorite spice shops to pick up some more Fleur de Sel, which I use on these roasted chickpeas, and some dried red chilies when I found some wild porcini sea salt. I knew immediately I wanted to make a rich and delicious mushroom risotto. Risotto can be intimidating, but trust me, if you give it a try, you'll see how easy it is to make and how delicious it tastes.

1 cup farro* (you could use the traditional arborio rice)

6 cups low-sodium beef broth

1/2 lb (8 oz) baby portabello mushrooms, chopped

8 ounces dried porcini, shiitake, black and oyster mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped (optional, but found for 2$ at Trader Joes, you could also use a whole lb of baby bellas)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 small or 1 medium sized onion, chopped

A good splash (about 1/3 cup) dry white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc)

2/3 cup Parmesan or romano cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

salt (I used my wild porcini salt)

pepper

Pour the beef broth into a pan and bring to a simmer, this will be added later.

Heat a dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and cook until softened and translucent. Add the mushrooms salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the farro and toast lightly for another 5 minutes. Once the farro starts to soften a bit, add the white wine. Let the wine cook until the alcohol evaporates.

Time to start adding the broth. While stirring regularly, add the broth to the mushroom and farro mixture. I used a soup ladle and started with 2 ladles full. Once the broth is absorbed into the farro, add 2 more ladles of broth. Keep stirring. Continue until all the broth is gone. Don't forget to stir! The risotto is done once the liquid is almost completely absorbed. You want it to be creamy and smooth not thick and chunky. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with chopped parsley.

*Farro, a cousin or barley, is commonly used in many Italian dishes. We picked up a big bag from Costco to mix up the usual quinoa and couscous rotation and I decided to use it for this risotto because I felt it would hold up nicely with the strong taste of the mushrooms.

French Onion Soup with French Dip Sandwiches

I'm working my way through my French inspired meal plan and it was time for French Onion Soup. I made this version with a slow cooker, and I have to say it was disappointing. After smelling it cooking all day I was expecting a delicious complex flavor but what I got was a bland echo of real French Onion Soup. Then I remembered the last time I made French Onion soup on the stove using this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, which I included here for you. This recipe really gives you the rich, deep, savory flavor that you expect from French Onion Soup. Don't forget the sandwiches, together they make a filling, hearty meal perfect for cold and windy fall evenings.

French Onion Soup via Smitten Kitchen

1/2 lb (about 5 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions (a mandoline works well for this)

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

3 tbsp flour

2 quarts (8 cups) beef stock

1/2 dry white wine

sliced baguette

Melt the butter and olive oil together in the bottom of a 4 or 5 quart saucepan or dutch oven over moderately low heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in oil and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let them slowly steep for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, uncover the pot, raise the heat slightly and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook onions, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes until they have turned an even deep, golden brown.

After the onions are fully caramelized, sprinkle them with flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the wine then stock, a little at at a time, stirring between additions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 more minutes.

Preheat broiler. Arrange six ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on a large baking sheet and divide the soup among the six bowls. Add 1/2 teaspoon raw grated onion and a tablespoon of grated cheese to each bowl. Stir to combine. Float a slice of baguette on top of the soup and cover with grated Gruyere or Swiss Cheese.

Place the bowls under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

French Dip Sandwiches via Everyday Occasions

1/4 of a baguette

1/2 lb sliced roast beef.

1/4  lb sliced gruyere or swiss (left over from soup)

mayonnaise

Dijon mustard

Slice baguette down the side to create and opening. On the bottom side top with cheese and sliced beef. Place on a baking sheet under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Slater on mayo and Dijon mustard on top half of baguette. Cut in half.

Weekly Meal Plan

My friend Temple is a beautiful creative woman who blogs over at Pour l'amour de Paris (For the Love of Paris) and sells her Paris inspired handmade jewelry through her Etsy shop Temple Designs. Her blog centers around the ambiance and beauty of Paris and her love of all things Parisian, with beautiful photography and travel tips. In honor of Temple I put together a French inspired menu for my weekly meal plan. Check out the links below each image for recipes!

Coq Au Vin

Salmon with Mustard-Caper Butter with Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Butternut Squash with Lentils and Goat Cheese

Beef Bourguignon

French Onion Soup with French Dip Sandwiches

Image 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

 

1 lb spaghetti

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

4 anchovy filets, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
small can black olives

2 cloves garlic, crushed
fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

red pepper flakes, to taste

	While your spaghetti cooks in salted boiling water, prepare your sauce.
	Heat olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a large skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. When garlic is fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), add anchovies, olives, and capers.
	Let cook for a few seconds then pour in tomatoes. Cook for approximately five minutes or until the sauce has reduced a bit.
	Drain the spaghetti and add it to the skillet. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley. Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Harvest Granola Bars

Happy Friday! I wanted to share this wonderful, choose your own filling recipe over that I found over at Good Life Eats, where Katie put together a little how to for chewy granola bars.

1. Rolled Grains (i.e. oats): 2 1/2 cups total

2. Nuts, Seeds, & Spices: 1 cup total Nuts & Seeds, Spices per your discretion.

3. Sticky Sweetener: 1/3 + 1/4 cup

• For something sweet you’ll need a sticky sweetener, such as honey, agave, molasses, maple syrup, etc. Sweetener adds moisture and flavor.
• Use the full amount as one sweetener, or mix up the flavors.

4. Dried Fruits: 1 cup total

5. Binder: 1 cup total

• This is what will hold the bars together and keep them chewy without over drying.
• These Molasses and Ginger Granola Bars use pureed dates, but get creative. Prunes, Apple Butter, and Almond Butter would be great choices too.

Fill a parchment lined sheet tray with the mixture, and bake at 325 for 25 minutes, chill in the freezer until firm, remove from parchment paper and cut into bars.

Using these basic instructions, I came up with my own Harvest Granola Bars. 

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup cups pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

1/3 cup honey

1/4 maple syrup

1 cup dried apple rings, chopped

1 cup honey apple butter.

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. The original recipe calls for using a food processor, and although I used our food processor/blender combo, I felt you could get by with some good hand mixing. Place in a parchment lined sheet tray. I used a spatula to form a nice rectangle since my sheet tray was very big and smoothed it out with a spatula. Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes. I know it's more than the original recipe but I wanted them to be a bit more firm. Place in the freezer for about an hour. Remove from parchment paper and cut into bars.

Update: After removing these from the freezer, then storing them in an airtight container in the fridge, I found the bars to be a little too soft and sweet for my taste. So I popped them back in the oven for 25 minutes at 350, which toasted the walnuts and oats and gave it a more balanced flavor. Next time I'll bake them at 350 in the beginning for 45 min to an hour.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Canning

I spent the weekend at the family River House canning with some of the ladies in our family. And not just canning, canning 55 jars of tomatoes from 4 bushels. With so much tomato-y goodness, the question came up of what to make with canned tomatoes, and since I use them liberally in my cooking, I thought I'd put together a list of foods that use canned tomatoes. Here are some my favorites:

Spaghetti Sauce

Lasagna

Pizza Sauce (Reduce the Spaghetti sauce until it thickens)

Salsa

Cioppino (Seafood Stew)

Chili

Chicken Cacciatore

Spicy Tomato Soup

 

Tomato Bisque

Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola

Pepper and Potato Stew

Shrimp Santorini (Replace the blanched tomatoes with canned)

Mexican Lasagna

image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Quiche with Spinach & Feta Cheese

Today is the first day of the fall semester. Although not looking forward to the commute this semester, I'm feeling good because after this, I'll have a month off and one semester left before I'm done. Dinner can be challenging on nights I have school, and this semester Mike is back to school as well. On these days we'll often cook dinner around 3-4, and eat around 4:30 (much earlier than our usual 7-8 o'clock dinnertime) before hopping in the car to head to school.

Quiche is one of our go to easy meals on nights like those. We are crazy about eggs in this house so we always have them stocked, add whatever vegetables you have lying around, some cheese, milk, and you got a quiche. But wait, I know some people are weird about eggs. I'm weird about eggs. So I know a quiche might seem like what my brother Eric referred to as an "egg pie" but it's so much better than that. So don't be afraid to give it a go. Also, most quiches rely on butter and heavy cream, which makes it super fatty, but this recipe, which is kind of a mash of a few different recipes that have become our staple, uses olive/vegetable oil, and milk. Here is the recipe for the whole shebang including the easiest crust ever.

Crust

2 cups white flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour and salt together with a fork or just shake it around a bit. Add, oil and water. Form into a ball. Spread it out around the bottom of a cake pan or quiche/tart pan. I know who has a quiche pan? But it's so, so much easier (and prettier) with a quiche pan. With a fork, poke a few holes in the crust and throw it in the oven for about 20 minutes (it makes the crust, thicker and crustier in the end).

Meanwhile:

Filling

4 eggs

1 lb spinach (it cooks way down)

1/2 large red onion or 1 small red onion, diced.

1 cup feta cheese

1/2 cup milk (I use skim, but any kind works)

Heat a large skillet/saute pan over high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil (a couple of swirls or about 2 tablespoons). Add the onions, lower the heat and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, a few pinches of salt and pepper and give it a good mix with the onion  for about 2 minutes, letting the spinach wilt. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs. Add the milk and feta cheese. Add the spinach/onion mixture. Throw in a little more salt and pepper. Pour in crust. Bake for 40 minutes. Give it a wiggle to make sure it is cooked through. It shouldn't wiggle. It'll be a rich, creamy, cheesy little slice of egg pie (wink, wink).

Images by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Greek Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that was developed as a great way to utilize stale bread and extra vegetables. Although I enjoy traditional Panzanella, I found this Greek version and thought I'd give it a go.

Salad:
2 tbsp. olive oil

6 cups French bread cubes (1 inch)

salt

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced ¼-inch thick

1 red bell pepper large diced

1 yellow bell pepper large diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes

quartered½ red onion, sliced thin

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese (I just eyeballed it and added a bit too much)

2.5 oz. can sliced black olives, drained 

Vinaigrette:
2 cloves minced garlic

¼ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.  Remove from the heat.

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. 

Vinaigrette: combine the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.  

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.  Add the feta, olives, and bread cubes.  Toss to combine.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Whole Wheat Tortillas

I've been thinking about making tortillas for awhile, but with my not very successful attempts at baking bread, I was a bit apprehensive. It turns out though, that these were really simple and fun to make. No these were not like my doughy, hard as a rock but somehow soft bricks of bread, that Mike tries to eat anyway because he loves me. This recipe is from the lovely Whole Family Fare and makes 10 tortillas, but I was low on whole wheat flour so I halved the recipe.

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup warm water

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and mix until it starts to come together. Add the warm water and mix until dough forms, adding a little more if necessary. Transfer dough to a smooth surface and knead for 3 minutes. Divide into 10 equal portions. Using your hand, roll each portion into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll the balls into a very thin circle (about 8-inch diameter).

Heat a cast iron skillet or comal ( I used a large nonstick skillet) to medium heat and cook the tortillas, about 2 minutes on each side. I cooked them until they developed those brown tortilla spots, which seemed to work for me.

Yields 10 tortillas.

They were delicious and chewy, especially when warm, but they were definitely thicker than store bought, maybe a tortilla press would help with that. Also I'm guessing if you're not a whole wheat fan (hi, mom!) you could probably replace the whole wheat flour with regular white flour.


Images by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Raspberry Lemonade

Since I'm a huge Diet Coke fan, but I try to avoid it as much as possible (tummy troubles), I occasionally try to come up with other refreshing drinks to break up the water monopoly. Recently, I made this strawberry limeade, and since I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd try another combination. Raspberries are by far my favorite fruit and I love lemon in everything, so I threw together the two to make this sweet, tart drink.

Juice of 2 lemons

1 4 oz container of raspberries

2 Tablespoons agave

2 cups water

Through ingredients in a food processor, strain through a fine mesh strainer, and serve over ice. Again, feel free to adjust to taste.  Less lemon juice, more raspberries, more agave or water. Play with it until it tastes the way you like it. Enjoy.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

No Bake Cookies

Happy Friday Friends! With the weather staying steady in the 90s-100s, I thought I'd share an easy recipe that doesn't require turning on the oven. These no bake cookies are the perfect way to have some sweet, chocolatey cookies without having to lower the AC.

6 tablespoons skim milk

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 1/4  cup quick oatmeal

In a small saucepan, heat milk, sugar, and cocoa powder, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and all the ingredients are combined.

Lower heat, add vanilla and peanut butter and stir until smooth and creamy

Take off heat and pour into a bowl with the oatmeal. Stir to combine. 

Drop teaspoon sized balls onto wax paper and refrigerate. After about 4 hours, they will set enough to be taken out and stored, but we just eat them right out of the fridge. Enjoy.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Roasted Chickpeas

I am loving these roasted chickpeas. It's the perfect salty, crunchy snack without the guilt. For this super simple recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)

Dry beans with clean towel or paper towel, and discard any loose, cloudy skins

Put chickpeas in a bowel, pour in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss to coat

Spread chickpeas out on baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with spices of your choice. I used garlic powder and fancy grey sea salt. Delicious. And addicting. I can eat a whole can in one sitting.

Please feel free to share any other spices/flavor combinations. I'm sure there are so many delicious options...

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Caprese Pasta Salad

The beauty of this pasta salad is in it's simplicity. Just mix all the ingredients together, add a little salt, pepper and olive oil and your done.

1 16 oz container cherry or grape tomatoes

1 lb mozzarella cheese - I like Belgiosos, but just make sure it is a fresh variety

a handful of basil - torn

1 lb whole wheat pasta

P.S. It's also good with a little bit of fresh arugula, which I threw in when I had it the next day for lunch.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Trail Mix

I just wanted to share this super simple and delicious trail mix recipe that we threw together.

2 Cups each - Cashews, Almonds and Pecans

2 cups dried cherries

2 cups banana chips

1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut.

The bananas and cherries are sweet while the nuts provide enough saltiness to balance it out. This "recipe" makes a ton, so feel free to scale it back a bit, or alter the ingredients to suit your tastes. Enjoy!

Anyone else throw together some delicious trail mix? I'd love to know of some other good flavor combinations...

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Weekly Meal Plan

Image via Real Simple

  Goat cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Quesadilla

Image via Cooking Channel

Tuscan Chicken 



Pesto grilled cheese

image via The Curvy Carrot

Caprese pasta salad

Tuna and Green Bean salad

Image via She Wears Many Hats

Creamy pesto pasta

Image via Real Simple

Salmon with Lemon-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Strawberry Limeade

We picked up these strawberries at the farmers market and they were so ripe, that I know they wouldn't stay longer than a few days in the fridge. I knew I had some limes in the fridge so I thought, why not make a strawberry limeade? So easy and refreshing.

Juice of 3 limes
about 1 c. strawberries, hulled
a healthy squirt of agave (2-3 Tbls)
2 c. water

Throw all ingredients in a blender and pour over ice. I like the tartness of the limes, but if it's too sour for you, just had some more water or agave to taste. Enjoy!

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances